


I Need Sleeves

by OhhMyy



Series: Coming Back To Life. [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Past Abuse, Past Relationship(s), implied - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-10 15:34:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7850899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhhMyy/pseuds/OhhMyy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky ventures out to the clothes stores of New York, accompanied by the beautiful brunette who has taken his fancy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Need Sleeves

**Author's Note:**

> Implied references to past abuse, nothing triggering I don't think, very vague. 
> 
> Possibly a bit brief, open to editing suggestions.

He’s a little nervous about today’s excursion. He’s been alone with Charlie in the Tower but the plan to spend the whole afternoon out together is making his heart race. It’s a heady combination of fear of the outside world and a craving to make a good impression on her. He hopes the day will be worth the painful time spent stressing over the actual day.

She’d announced the day before that she would be going shopping, holding up one of Tony’s credit cards between her fingers and waving it at him, asking if he wanted to join and then backtracking slightly when she thought the request had insinuated that he needed to new clothes.  He’d agreed instantly, wanting to spend time with her, actually needing new clothes and because he couldn’t shake her and Tony’s fight from his mind; it occurred to him that she was asking because she felt she needed company rather than wanting him specifically but he shook it from his head and figured an excuse to get to know her better was all he needed.

She meets him at the front door of Stark Tower; she’s wearing a long green skirt and a casual black vest; hair in a loose bun and arms adorned with various bracelets. He jokingly points out that his black trousers and green jumper means they’re matching and she chuckles before wrapping her arm firmly around his and walking out into the sunshine.

They stop at various stores and he’s confused that despite Steve’s warning about accompanying women shopping, this woman doesn’t seem to want him to sit down whilst she tries things on, in fact she plucks items from shelves quickly, only occasionally asking for his opinions (always positive but there's not a lot of scope; her tastes seem to compromise flowing skirts, vest tops and loose fitting dresses with only a few deviations), seeming to know exactly what she wants and likes before throwing them over her arm in a huge stack and turning to him.

“So, shall we shop for you?” She doesn’t wait for his answer, using her spare hand to pull him to the men’s section. She waves a hand in front of her and he starts searching the racks and shelves before noticing she’s disappeared; relieved when she appears with a few t-shirts in his size and holds them up for him. He notices her arms are otherwise empty and sees her pile on a chair nearby, her attention fully on him and he shakes his head negatively.

“I need sleeves” He answers under his breath and bows his head slightly, suddenly self-conscious, full of shame.

“Why?”

“Big metal arm?”

“I’ve seen you wear t-shirts at home” His brain short circuits temporarily as he hopes the word means she’s staying for at least a while longer but he shakes his head again.

“I need clothes for going out, not exactly public friendly to be wielding a metal limb”

“You’re wearing a jumper” She says it suddenly and sadly and he looks at her waiting for a continuation; she'd complimented his attire earlier but he feels a little self conscious and wonders if he'd chosen wrong (he is not proud to admit he tried on more than three outfits before venturing out and steadfastly refuses to acknowledge his clothing choice was an attempt at showing her he was capable and smart).

“I brought you out in the heat and you’re wearing a jumper. I’m such an idiot...I thought...I didn't think, you must be sweltering”

He feels like a jackass even though he knows he has done nothing wrong, feels like he’s put a downer on their trip so he puts the T-shirts on her pile of items to buy but when he goes to pull his arm back to his side she grabs his hand suddenly, lifting the metal fingers up vertically so his palm is in front of her face. She presses a brief kiss against the palm and holds it tight as she looks into his eyes, fierce and stern and _oh_ he could get used to that look.

“You are fine just as you are Bucky Barnes and you hide for no one” His heart stutters and he chokes a little on the emotion bubbling in his chest; she drops his hand before he can say anything and disappears again, this time coming back with a few dress shirts and a dinner jacket (with long sleeves he notes); holding them up ‘til he nods and then throwing them on the pile. He feels a little sorry for Tony’s credit card.

She leaves him once, so maybe Steve wasn’t all wrong, sitting on a chair with a firm command to stay put and taking the credit card with her. She returns with a bag and answers shyly to his question that she needed underwear and “ladies things”. They pay for the stack (the t-shirts not escaping her notice).

“Do you want to grab lunch?” She asks as they leave the final store, arms laden with bags, he nods in the affirmative and directs her to a café he knows to be quiet and out of the way, she orders a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese, smiling and making small talk with their waitress; He orders a cheeseburger and it struck with the thought that in just over a month of living with her, he’s never noticed her eating habits.

“Do you not eat meat?”

“No, have you only just noticed?”

“Yeah. How come?”

“Grew up on a farm, remember?” He nods. “My parents always warned me not to get close but defiant little thing that I was gave them names, I even let all the sheep out once to grant them their freedom, Dad was livid! I couldn’t eat them, they were my friends, and it kind of carried on I guess”

He’s laughing, picturing a much smaller version of her running with farmyard animals. By the time their food arrives she’s regaled him with a few more stories from childhood (including a lovely tale about the time Tony tried to ride their family horse and failed miserably, being thrown into a stack of hay) and she has to wipe tears from her eyes to thank the waitress for her meal.

“Where are your parents now?”

“They’re still at the farm. There are fewer animals now but they still tend to the chickens and a few horses. Tony sent them some money a few years back to cover their losses but I’m not supposed to know about that” She raises a finger to her lips and motions him to keep silent “I should visit them, I know, I’ve not been there in a while”

The mood falls and she uses her spoon to stab aimlessly at her soup.

“Why not go back? I’m sure they’d love to see you” He knows as soon as the words leave him that it was the wrong thing to say, she looks up at him and squares her jaw; she looks ready to snap at him but in an instant the look in gone and she sighs.

“The world is a dangerous place” it’s cryptic and he wants to press her for more information but it’s short and clipped and he realizes it signals the end of that topic.

He wolfs down half of his burger and watches her nibble at her food.

“Can I ask you a personal question?

“You can ask” She doesn’t finish the sentence but he knows there’s a blank “but I might not answer” there.

“Why did you buy so much?”

“Are you critiquing my shopping habits?”

“No, I…no. You were stocking up. Now, I don’t know a lot about women in this century but I’m going to hazard a guess that most women don’t buy their necessities all at once and a lot of those were replacing things”

“Yep” For a minute he doesn’t think she’s going to fill him in, but she puts her spoon down in the bowl; taking care not to scrape it against the china.

“I know you’re not deaf Bucky, and I’m pretty certain you’re not stupid enough to have missed what's going on so I won’t lie. I lived with someone, Andrew. He um…he didn’t turn out to be the person I thought he was so I packed a suitcase, left and came straight here, that’s it. Kind of hard to pack everything you own in one case when you’re rushing”

He feels stab of jealousy but it’s pushed aside by worry, knows there’s more to the story based on what he’s noticed and heard but he doesn’t push. He wants her as a friend and is painfully aware you don’t get friends by making them uncomfortable.  

He pays for lunch despite knowing they have a Stark gold mine to rely on and bumps her hip to playfully guide her out of the door when she tries to argue. He even carries a few of her bags despite heavy protest and flashes her a grin when taking them allows her to put her arm through his again as they stroll back.

He carries the bags all the way in, right up to her door and thanks her for a lovely day. She rises up on her tiptoes to place a kiss against his cheek before taking the bags and vanishing into her room.  

The beaming smile she gives him the next morning when she notices he’s wearing one of the short sleeved shirts she’d picked out was well worth the anxiety and Bucky decides he’s not so against venturing out as he thought.


End file.
